Narendra Modi’s speech in Hooghly’s Sahagunje on Monday belied the party’s hype that the Prime Minister would lay down a roadmap for the industrial revival of a district once known for names like Dunlop and Hindustan Motors.

Modi stuck to general assurances in his 30-minute speech in Hooghly, a district with around 120 big and small factories, of which some 54 are closed.

The BJP had chosen the venue for the rally in the vicinity of the closed Dunlop tyre factory and campaigned that Modi would come up with major announcements to revive closed industrial units in Hooghly, including a blueprint for Singur where the Tatas had to abort its auto hub after a fierce anti-land acquisition movement that catapulted Trinamul leader Mamata Banerjee to power in 2011.

“Hooghly district had a place in India for industries. It is an example of how the district reached such a (bad) situation in the past few decades. There were many big jute, iron and steel factories on two sides of river Hooghly. Now you know better the situation of Hooghly. People from other states used to come here to work and now residents of industrial towns are going to work in other states,” Modi said but did not name the closed Dunlop factory.

“The BJP government, who you have decided to bring here, will take steps to change this situation. The BJP government will bring a change in industrialisation policy. The decision will be taken very fast,” Modi said.

Modi’s lack of specifics drew flak. Bidyut Routh, the Hooghly unit president of the Trinamul’s trade union wing INTTUC, called Modi’s speech a “gimmick”.

“There are two major closed industries in Hooghly, Dunlop and Hind Motor (Hindustan Motors). Modi did not name either. His address was nothing but a gimmick,” said Routh, adding that on Wednesday Mamata Banerjee would speak from Modi’s venue.

BJP sources said many in the party expected specific announcements on sick industries from the Prime Minister. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, who spoke before Modi, had referred to Dunlop’s glory, which party insiders said was a cue for Modi.

Modi spoke on jute industries in Bengal and their decline, elaborating on what his government had done for the sector. “When the BJP government came into power (at the Centre) it specially thought of jute farmers. The government made it mandatory to use jute bags to pack wheat. We are using jute bags on a large scale to pack sugar too,” Modi said.

Modi’s critics pointed out that five central jute mills in Hooghly, Howrah and North 24-Parganas are closed. “During the 2014 poll campaign, Modi promised to reopen all jute mills in Hooghly. That hasn’t happened...,” said Tirthankar Roy of Bengal Chatkal Mazdoor Union and Citu leader.

Modi referred to Hooghly for its iron and steel factories, which exposed his lack of knowledge, pointed out Citu leader Sarbik Ghosh.

INTTUC president and Rajya Sabha MP, Dola Sen, echoed Roy: “Modi has forgotten that five Centre-run jute mills are closed....Mamata Banerjee has reopened 26 closed jute mills and now production is on in over 50 jute mills.”